Work happening to redevelop the Cogswell interchange in Halifax will mean more people can access downtown, faster.
Paul MacKinnon, CEO of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, says work is being carried out in a way that won’t slow traffic or restrict access to the downtown core.
“There’s actually going to be some bike lanes opening up, which actually will create some better access, particularly from the North End,” MacKinnon says.
The project is expected to take three years, and will re-imagine the surrounding 16 acres of roadways into a community better suited to foot and bike traffic.
The redevelopment will reconnect the North End of Halifax, which is currently separated by the interchange, to the South-End of the city. It will also reinstate the urban street grid, to accommodate residential development for up to 2500 people.
People who commute through the area shouldn’t feel many slowdowns while work is going on, MacKinnon says. He notes, the reduced impact to traffic may also be a result of lingering pandemic measures, such as work-from-home situations.
“Frankly, there’s a lot of people that aren’t back… in the office… downtown, so the impact has not been as great.”
MacKinnon says he wouldn’t be surprised to see traffic starting to be more affected by the work come September, as he expects more people will be returning to the office.
Work there got underway this spring; it’s set to last about three years.
